We are pleased to present the exhibition Liminal Moments 1 with works by 5 artists in various mediums. The title is inspired by a section from the book Anthro-Vision: A New Way to See in Business and Life  by the English anthropologist Gillian Tett. In the preface, the author  points out that the least questioned assumptions are often the most  questionable. It is a dangerous mistake to ignore the ideas we take for  granted, and we should strive to “see around corners, spot what’s hidden  in plain sight, gain empathy for others, and fresh insight on  problems”. 

Gillian Tett mentions that during the COVID-19  lockdown, many men grew beards. This was commonly attributed to the  casual appearance associated with working from home instead of the  office. However, the fact that facial hair was not shaved off due to the lack of office visits is contradicted by the increased focus on faces during Zoom calls. 

Gillian Tett mentions that the  anthropologist Victor Turner, who worked in Africa, developed a concept  called “Liminality”, which partly explains the surge in facial hair during the COVID-19 lockdown. In his theory, Turner observes that most cultures use rituals and symbols to mark transitional points or phases, such as those in a calendar (e.g., the beginning of a new year), the  start of a new life cycle (entry into adulthood), or a major social  event (national independence). These special moments are termed liminal, from the Latin word "limens", meaning threshold/doorway. A common  characteristic of a liminal moment is the reversal of the usual symbolic  order, set in contrast to “normality” to mark a transitional moment. Or  can the new circumstances now be interpreted as a new normal? 

The  prevailing sentiment is that we are currently in a time of great  transformation that demands mental agility from all of us. As a gallery  and thus part of the art scene, we also find ourselves in this phase of  liminality – encountering daily changes. The world is almost forcing us  to develop, adapt, and update ourselves. Climate change, world politics,  mental health, media, new approaches to human relationships, a new  perception of our own bodies, our understanding of art – everything is  in flux and must be reinvented. In Liminal Moments 1, the artists  respond to the currents of time in various ways in their works. Each  artwork possesses a symbolic meaning that viewers must place in a  historical context and discover for themselves.